


Gossips

by westernsunset



Category: Tortall - Tamora Pierce
Genre: gay raoul
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-29
Updated: 2018-05-29
Packaged: 2019-05-15 06:17:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,236
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14785094
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/westernsunset/pseuds/westernsunset
Summary: Flyn heard rumors about Lord Raoul before he joined the King's Own, but he never would've guessed they were true.--written for Goldenlake's "Rumor Has It" prompt





	Gossips

"Now I'm confused, Flyn." That was Lord Raoul's voice, slow and good-humored. "I thought they've had me in bed with other men for years, since I'm not married."

"Not around me or the lads, they haven't," was the growled reply. "We've explained it's nobody's business."  
\---

“The King’s Own? Well good thing you’re fair ugly Flyndan!”

The tavern erupted in a roar of laughter. After being invited that day to join the King’s Own, Flyndan Whiteford was out with friends celebrating. They’d had a few too many tankards, and Browyn, the half-wit, had announced Flyn’s accomplishment to the whole tavern.

Flyn searched the bar for the jokester. Two tables over, a still-laughing Hilduin drank the dregs of his ale. “Because you know what happens to the pretty young boys in the Own, don’t ya? Sir Raoul carts them off like the giant he is! Though I suppose he’s more of a fairy! Right boys--”

“Someone’s had too much,” Hilduin’s friend said, dragging his friend out. “Fair travels Flyn, you’ll do well in the Own.”

Flyn just nodded as the drunk Hilduin was carted out, still laughing to beat the band. “Crazy Hilduin,” Jumel said with a smile.

“That’s not actually true though, is it?” said Flyn. “About the Knight Commander?”

Jumel shrugged. “I don’t know if it’s true, but that’s the talk. I’ve heard he frequents taverns in the southeastern district. Off the wharf.”

Everyone in the Lower City knew the wharf’s reputation. A range of unseemly activity happened out there, from the exchange of mind-altering herbs to...cultural exchange between sailors. Flyn hadn’t seen much of Sir Raoul in the Lower City but it was hard to picture the knight in those areas. It sounded less like a confirmed tale and more like the baseless rumor of someone trying to weaken the Knight Commander’s influence.

All the same, Flyn hoped it wasn’t true. If Lord Raoul really did bed other men, what would stop him from trying to bed men in the Own? That wouldn’t be good for morale. At least Flyn didn’t have to worry about himself. Hilduin was right about one thing. He was no prize, looks wise.

\---

Working under Sir Raoul turned out to be different than anything Flyn was expecting. The Knight Commander was easygoing and never shirked his duties. He would serve food with the rest of the men, never asked for anyone to be treated any differently, and most importantly, treated Flyn the way he treated the noble’s sons. Flyn had spent enough time in service to know that nobles were always treated differently than commoners. He’d joined the Own with some trepidation, fearing that Raoul would be like everyone else, forcing the commoners to serve and clean while reaping the benefits. But duties were shared and everyone’s perspective was important.

The longer he was in the Own, the more he heard the rumors. No one in the Own talked about it, but it was one of those juicy tidbits of gossip that would surface every so often. Flyn never heard anyone say it to him directly, but like other court whispers (Lady Raqueline drank too much but her husband didn’t know, Kartarn of Mountain Roof wasn’t able to produce an heir, Wilhelm had accidently eaten Gelon’s pig but told Gelon the pig ran away) it was taken as truth. 

\---

One night, about seven years into his service with the Own, him and some of the new recruits were out at a tavern. It was close to Midwinter and the Own was back at the palace, which the commoners always appreciated. It gave them a chance to enjoy the city, spend the purses they’d earned in the year, meet pretty girls, and enjoy the city in Midwinter. Sir Raoul was vocal about his dislike for the social engagements he was expected to endure. He made any excuse to leave the palace in Midwinter, often dragging all his men out in knee deep snow if it meant taming a bandit uprising in the north and missing a banquet.

That’s what the new recruits were complaining about now. “He only does it so he won’t have to go to the balls,” said Samer, one of the Bazhir recruits. “He’d do anything to get out of them! Even if it means tramping through snow that’ll probably kill me.”

“You’ll be fine,” Porter said. He’d joined after Flyn, but was also from the north. “You get used to it. Both the snow, and our Knight Commander’s whims.”

“Is it true he does it because he doesn’t fancy ladies?” Calerd, one of the newcomers from the east asked. “I’ve heard he...well…” he trailed off.

Flyn and the other men fell silent. Flyn couldn’t remember anyone in the Own bringing that particular rumor up. Not among the company. He’d assumed they all realized it was a baseless rumor cooked up by conservatives to discredit Lord Raoul. He hadn’t thought for a second anyone actually thought it was true.

Porter cleared his throat. “Well, Flyn, you’ve been here the longest. You’d know. Is it true?”

Flyn sputtered. “Is what true? You mean you actually believe that!?”

 

“We never see him with women. He never talks about them. I don’t know, you hear things!” Porter said. “It’s not an unreasonable question, I just wondered if you knew.”

“Of course it’s not true! It’s just gossip, you should all know better than that! With conservatives questioning his every move, you believe that garbage,” Flyn said, frustrated.

“Ok, Flyn, you’re right,” Porter said. “Besides, if our Knight Commander was truly a practitioner of the love that dare not speak its name, he’d surely have fallen head over heels for yours truly. I’m irresistible.”

“Don’t flatter yourself Porter, the oldest fisherman on the wharf wouldn’t court you,” said Gregor and the atmosphere at the table was easy again.

\---

Twelve years of service with the Own and Flyn was Lord Raoul’s second in command. The two of them worked well together. Their personalities created the balance necessary to run such a large squad. Raoul made sure the Own was accepting of all its new members, with no one who shirked their duty, and create an air of camaraderie among the very different men. Flyn was there to make sure everyone stayed in line. Too much of one or the other and the unit would have been ineffective. But together, the Own was running better than it had in years.

He was going to Raoul’s chambers one night to go over some supply forms. At Raoul’s door he heard murmurs and soft laughter. He knocked, then called “my Lord, I brought the information you were looking for about our food supply.”

The murmurs stopped instantly. Then, “just a minute Captain.”

Flyn heard a hurried conference, and it took Raoul longer than usual to open the door. When he did, his hair was rumbled and the laces on his shirt weren’t aligned correctly. Flyn looked around, expecting to see Qasim or Gary or...anyone really, but the room was empty.

“Was someone else here?” Flyn asked. “I thought I heard a conversation.”

“I was ah--talking to myself. Thinking out loud,” Raoul said, his ruddy cheeks reddening even more.

“If I’m interrupting I can leave, I just thought we were going over some logistics tonight--”

“No, we were I just. Forgot. But we can go over it.”

Flyn heard something fall in the other room. Raoul sighed. “Will you give me a moment, Captain?”

“Really I can come back!”

“No, this won’t take long.”

Flyn knew it was wrong to eavesdrop but. “It won’t take long,” came Raoul’s harsh whisper.

“I’d rather just go, since you clearly don’t want me here,” said another man, sarcasm dripping from his voice.

“Will you stop? It’s not like it’s Qasim or Alanna, just give me a little slack here.”

“I have things to do too Raoul I can’t just hide in your bedchamber because you’re too scared to--”

 

“Quiet! He’s right outside.”

“I’m not staying here so I’d advise you to find some lie for your friend before I finish dressing.”

He can’t have heard that last part right. He heard a frustrated sigh and Raoul came back to the room.

“I apologize Captain, my friend is just leaving.”

Flyn hears a sarcastic “ha!” from the other room and Raoul takes a deep breath, rubbing his eyes. At that moment, Flyn starts to wonder if the rumors were true all along. If that faceless man in the other room is Lord Raoul’s lover. If Lord Raoul really didn’t fancy ladies.

“My Lord, if you’ll forgive me,” Flyn said, trying to find the right words. “It’s none of my business who you ah--who you happen to have over at any time. Your friends or lovers it’s not important to me. No matter who you happen to--what kind of company you keep.” Flyn cringed. Could he sound any denser? He wasn’t even sure if Raoul would pick up his meaning. If he would know that Flyn truly didn’t care what Raoul did in his personal life. Flyn had served under Raoul for enough time, he’d seen the man face down Immortals and enemies that all other men ran from, nothing Raoul could do would negate those brave actions. And beyond that, Raoul had treated him with such respect, such kindness he was unaccustomed to receiving from nobles. Flyn would lay down his life Raoul, and part of the reason for that was he knew Raoul would do the same for him.

“If you’re--embarrassed about whoever is in that room, you don’t have to be,” Flyn babbled. “I hope you know by now I can be discreet and it won’t change the--rapport we have?” The last part he said as a question, begging the Knight Commander to cut him off.

Raoul didn’t say anything but Flyn heard a cough from the other room. A cough that sounded suspiciously like “SEE?!” But no one said anything for a bit. And contrary to the faceless man’s threats, he didn’t leave the room.

Raoul took a deep breath and rubbed the back of his neck. Finally, he said, “sometimes the court gossip is true. I trust you’ve figured that out.”

“It’s none of the court’s business,” said Flyn gruffly. “I’ve been saying that since I joined the Own and I believe it still.”

Raoul nodded slowly. “I guess I’d hoped it wouldn’t get back to the Own but that was naive, wasn’t it?”

Flyn had nothing to say to that. Instead, Raoul said, “Hakuin, just come out. It’ll be fine.”

The door to Raoul’s bedchamber opened and the Shang Horse stepped out. “Should I--stay?” he asked, moving toward the door.

“Uh if--Flyn do you estimate how long this will take?” Raoul said, distracted and blushing harder than before.

“I can come back,” Flyn said hurriedly.

“No, please, this is important. I’ll leave,” said Hakuin, who seemed more embarrassed than he had when he was arguing with Raoul.

“Stop, everyone,” Raoul said, putting on his commander voice. “This is silly. Hakuin, stay, as long as Flyn doesn’t mind. Flyn, please take your time. We need to make sure this is done right.”

“This won’t take too long,” Flyn said, as much as to Raoul as to Hakuin. “I am sorry for interrupting though.”

At this, Hakuin smiled. “That’s Raoul for you. No amount of clerks would help him remember his schedule.”

Flyn hid a smile. “If he didn’t eat in the Own mess each day, I’d never be able to remind him of meetings like this. Even with daily reminders it doesn’t help!”

“This isn’t at all what I intended,” Raoul said, eyes dancing. “Now the both of you can gripe about my failings?! I’ll have you know I’m a very busy man.”

“It just wouldn’t hurt to write down your meetings,” Hakuin said. “For someone trying to keep such a big secret you’re awfully disorganized.”

Raoul laughed out loud. “Point taken. Alright Flyn, let’s get to these supplies.”

\---

12 years after he joined, Flyn looked back on the man he used to be with surprise. To think, he used to believe that Raoul’s life would interfere with how he commanded the Own! He shook his head at his own folly now, knowing Raoul as he did.

Instead, Flyn had grown into Raoul’s unofficial rumor patrol. Now, whenever he heard any hateful rumors about Raoul (true or not) he sprang into action, defending the Knight Commander, not caring who happened to be talking about him. He put down rumors within the Own, and after several years of working with Raoul, many of the men were more than willing to take up Flyn’s crusade against court gossip.

Raoul tried to put a stop to it once, assuring Flyn he didn’t mind the rumors and if he did, he could fight his own battles. But Flyn waved him off. By that point, it had become second nature to the men to speak out against false rumors, not just about Raoul, but about anyone they happened to know. Putting the court gossipers in their place had become a good stress reliever to the men, and who was Flyn to deny them that simple pleasure? The way he saw it, the practice was a win for everyone.

Except the gossips. But Flyn hadn’t cared much about them in the first place.


End file.
